It is easy to see that these strong attachments could transfer to religious deities and their messengers. Our relationships depend on being able to predict how others will behave across situations and time.
We can imagine what they would do or say. This ability — known as cognitive decoupling — originates in childhood through pretend play. It is a small leap from being able to imagine the mind of someone we know to imagining an omnipotent, omniscient, human-like mind — especially if we have religious texts which tell of their past actions.
Another key adaptation that may help religious belief derives from our ability to to anthropomorphise objects. Have you ever seen the outline of a person only to realise that it is actually a coat hung on the door?
This capacity to attribute human forms and behaviours to non-human things shows we also readily endow non-human entities, such as gods, with the same qualities that we possess and, as such, make it easier to connect with them. In addition to these psychological aspects, the ritual behaviour seen in collective worship makes us enjoy and want to repeat the experience. Try to remember your own anxiety as an infant or notice the fearful stages of growth in your children, especially when they realize how dependent they are on the adults.
Humanity was also in this state of anxiety in our early history. Tigers were big and all we had were spears. Part of us feels this all time. We feel vulnerable in our animal natures and limited. We strive for growth, mastery and propagation just like every living thing that has ever existed. We crave and greed for anything that represents more abundant and secure biological life - even when it is actually taken care of in our advanced civilization.
In the following essay remember we are animals. Thinking animals but animals nevertheless. We need each other and the group to compete against other animals and nature. But we also compete with our fellow humans for mastery and status.
Knowing our place allows us take on specific jobs in the group and to feel purpose and meaning. We test and gauge our status wihin the group. We constantly compare ourselves and judge others by cultural standards of mastery. Early in history and our physical skills were the important measure but that soon turned to social skills. The function of out direct perceptual senses is guage our level of security, protection and worth within the group.
Getting our fellow humans approval and esteem enhances this protection because somebody is literally watching your back. In a sufficiently advanced civlization, when the food supply, healthcare, shelter and education are taken care of the impulse to grow - to have more abundant life - does not go away. That is because the emotional part of us knows we are still limited and vulnerable without our cultural and group protections. So we unconsciously compare worth, significance and power in our society - to find our place in it and to gather as many protectve affliations around us as possible.
Our situation was so perilous in the wild we tended to make false correlations in nature, thus creating "magic" to allow us to feel more in control. Eventually, our egos created complex systems of symbols representing physical skills. We created institualized ritual to control the environment and its ceremonies to control each other. Magic turned into religion. Religion turned into divine states. Divine states turned into secular society and political philosophies.
Thus, magical ritual, religion and its decendent instutions allowed for defined heirarchy, castes, classes and organizational efficiencies. So we seek ways of removing our guilt and feelings of vulnerability by latching on to anything or anybody who can make us feel secure, safe and confident that all will be well, and in their care that we will prosper, grow, be significant and live a much fuller life.
This is the "heroic impulse". It is pervasive within all cultures except the most simple and egalitarian. We value and acknowledge those symbols not reality that which will make us feel safe or make us feel like winners. Of course, this had loads of survival value in the forest because some did have real heroic skills - as hunter gatherers - but the impulse to affliate with the "heroic" has been distorted to an absurd point.
Acquisition of possesions, titles, status, large families, and attachment to symbols far and long divorced from actual survival needs is what drives our culture and politics. The impuluse for more, more, more drives our economic systems. Unbridled and un-reflective thinking in service of the fear of death is what makes the human animal insane in comparison to other species. The fundamental confusion is taking mere words or concepts to be reality. The symbolic processors of the left brain take fear arising from the amygdala and rationalizes an insulating symbolic defense - many of which are words or concepts.
The left hemisphere also tends to mask perceptual realities of the right hemisphere since this holistic part does not harbor linguistic processors. The right hemisphere cannot argue for itself even though it harbors many intelligences! This effectively removes feelings of vulnerability and fear from our thinking selves but it also veils broader realities and perceptions that could have survival value. This is a necessary condition for mental health and negotiation in a highly symbolic environments which most people live in.
Cultures are systems of symbols that reinforce a consensual strategy against this fear of death. Or, at least, a "social symbolic death" with insignificance or loss of approval among our fellows. Cultural values change as the demands of survival from the environment change. We create complex symbolic absolutist views and cultural sanctioned rituals, rules and behaviors that institutionalize the strategy against death because total faith brings the most confidence.
That is why suicide bombers say they love death as much as we love life - they are assured at place in paradise. These emotional displacements provide order and sense of meaning to our world and provide confidence.
The value of the concept of immortality, gods and single great hero, God, has provided the greatest sense of relief for many cultures.
Thus, individuals will constantly compare who's up and who's down, one street gang will fight another over graffiti, how clothing is worn, territoral encroachment; soceer games will erupt in violence over a game, republicans and democrats will demean and "symbolically" fight each to other's social death the inability to influence others. Our egos constantly strive to strengthen its stature compared to others.
Our egos are willing to defend, belittle or even fight to the death any symbol or person who threatens our unconscious immortality symbols because our ego's imaginary life is at stake. The impulse to prove oneself right and the other wrong is simply the defense of the ego against imaginary death.
Cultures, religions and all absolutist philosophies exist to provide approval-seeking humans ways of organizing, encouraging, coping, prospering, staving off fear of death and moving civilzation forward toward some imagined good life - even at the expense of present happiness. We are social beings that create our own environments whose need for a sense-of-belonging and self esteem is universal so convienently adopt the prevailing notions that imply worth. The need for human-connection and approval is primary and real, cultural values are secondary and imaginery.
This is a very important point! We all, quite naturally, give our loyalty and our lives to those who best can communicate to our emotions the symbols that promise security and strength but most importantly - a sense of belonging. The sucess of leadership is proportional to the level of alignment of culturally adopted values to the real demands of the environment.
Blind following often leads to disaster. Following, a worldview, hero or personal expression is only useful to the extent that it actually haromonizes with the reality of others, other cultures and the physical environment. Judgment and negativity is the primary diagnostic of absolutism - whether it is ubridled praise or criticism.
Acceptance tolerance , enjoyment and enthusism is the primary diagnostic for awareness of the extreme comparative activity of the ego. Human beings absolutely need to develop some "healthy" anxiety displacements - at certain developmental stages - to develop self esteem and confidence in growing up. Children need to be assured that a "Guardian Angel is protecting them from the "boogey man" in closet.
Religion and absolutist belief has its place and function. However, when the displacements become rigidly absolute as the world gets more complex and subtle these psychodynamic strategies become mal-adaptive. The fact that people will become very aggressive in defending absolutist belief is - in itself - a major self-inflicted insanity in humans. There seems to be a healthy arc of development that involves a increasingly generalized worldview.
Then, successful introduction to symbolic social strategie s that provides their own power to influence people and social environment. Choosing heros, beliefs, activities and groups that allow some sense of security, direction, personal expression and sense of worth and significance. That is, following arbitrary cultural rules or societal expectations - or "world of symbols" representing security and approval 4 Final realization that cultural symbols and expectations go beyond survival needs and begin to become vain, wasteful or even maladaptive to the real environment.
We begin to search for security, meaning and a sense of approval, belonginess, direction from many alternative strategies. We accept no world view is absolute. Finally separating imaginery status symbols from the actual biological requirements of healthy and happy social life.
Thursday, December 4, -- PM. God is Fire, Water, Air. God is the Life, Existance of Life , and Death. These have immense power which does not have a shape. We can see it, We can fell it but we fail to reliase it, We tend to look for answers womewhere else. Friday, June 5, -- PM. I am a tortured agnostic erring on the side of atheism. I want to believe but I can't.
I got here by googling 'how can people believe in God' and found this. The article helped, but the comments didn't. Too many of the comments hold the existence of God to be self-evident without managing to provide any substantial reason why. They believe it, and therefore it is true. This scares me because it makes me realise why religions have always historically fought each other - they are unable to give substantial reasons why the other is wrong.
The universe seems meaningless. There is no Great Protector. There is only us, and our meaningless existences, and there is faith, and belief, which people die defending. There is war, and horror, and uncertainty. It is the uncertain man who is intelligent and the certain man who is stupid.
The difference is that the certain man has no fear. Irrationality is required for civilization to progress. But irrationality is what makes humanity blow itself to pieces.
I want to believe, but if God created the universe and has the power to stop evil but chooses not to, surely he is evil? What sort of God would sit back and watch something like the Holocaust?
What sort of God would create harlequin babies? What sort of God would create a Hell to punish the sinners for ever and ever? An insane one, that's what. Friday, October 16, -- PM. What mastermind could put together 66 books by more than 40 authors and have it written over a period of years? Incredibly, all of these authors point to the same two ultimate destinations: first, an everlasting paradise offered as a free gift to those who believe; and second, a place of eternal torment for those who reject the gift.
What could this many authors possibly gain by coming up with such an extraordinary story on their own and then presenting it as truth? It certainly didn't make their lives any easier. Why would some of these same authors allow themselves to be tortured to death rather than recant their message?
These clues provide healing from spiritual insanity for anyone who is open-minded. Are you open-minded or close-minded about Christ? Who would ever make up a story that a God of love sent His only Son to suffer torture at the hands of men? How loving is that unless God really did love the world so much that He sent His Son to die for our sins just as the Bible states?
Why out of thousands of religions in the world does only one religion offer forgiveness of sins as a free gift? Why does this one religion just so happen to be the only religion that has each of these 40 authors over years describing the same reality? How did they all get their writings to fit together so well and with so much consistency?
Were each one of these authors insane, except for their remarkable ability to agree with one another about heaven and hell and the Messiah? If they were not insane, then why would all the authors over many centuries contribute to such a conspiracy of deceit about a mythical God and a far-fetched narrative of redemption?
Do you have enough faith and enough evidence to truly believe that it has all just been a worldwide hoax? Are you sane enough to see how it takes more faith based on less evidence to reject Christ than it takes to accept Him as your Lord and Savior?
How insane is it for you to live 80 years upon this earth for yourself just hoping that the Bible is wrong about Jesus and about heaven and hell? How crazy is it for you to risk spending one year in agony, yet alone forever and ever in unimaginable torment? Who would ever lie and make up such a place? If you don't believe in absolutes, then you are not really positive that Christianity is wrong, are you? Please read this next sentence slowly and carefully: Are you really willing to risk spending billions upon billions of years in hell rather than repent of your sin and accept a free gift from a loving God who has given us a written revelation of eternity?
What if you really were insane on this issue? You wouldn't know that you were insane, would you? Are you willing to admit that it is possible that you are insane about Christianity and about your need for salvation? How can you be absolutely sure that Christianity is wrong and that you are right? Not the 40 authors over years, but you! What makes you the right one? There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.?
Proverbs To quote a well-known motivational speaker from the ? Stop the Insanity? Do you realize why God has allowed you to read this article right now at this very moment in your life? If you are unwilling to be healed of your spiritual insanity, then you won? That rejection of God's good news for you would provide you with proof of the insanity of unbelief.
Are you too insane to recognize your own insanity, or is there a glimmer of spiritual sanity in your soul today? Tuesday, November 17, -- PM. Being smart doesn't mean you're honest. It might even mean you're a clever and intelligent liar. While it's possible for smart people who have integrity problems to pretend a belief in god, even smartly--any modern educated human being who truthfully and without evasion asks probing questions about the existence of god will come up with a negative.
But that's been the case for near a years now. Sunday, December 20, -- PM. God is nothing but a fragment created by the human mind so that they can live their lives believing they are safe. Tuesday, December 29, -- PM. The God in whom I believe has created an infinite universe which is growing at an infinite speed.
The God in whom I believe has an unlimited control over us, he doesn't need us. The God in whom I believe has created an automated instant punishment system that he doesn't need an end day. The God in whom I believe lets the death being a transfer to another life, better or worse depending on our yields. The God in whom I believe is the center of the universe, he has created himself from nothing and created the universe instantly without suffering.
This is the God in whom I believe! The God in Whom I believe doesn't need us to fight for him. The God in Whom I believe doesn't let us fight each other for him. The God in Whom I believe doesn't need us to believe in him.
The God in Whom I believe knows us because he created us, he doesn't need to test us! The God in Whom I believe doesn't need to limit our liberty as we do not offense others. The God in Whom I believe has created an automated instant rewarding system and an automated instant punishment system that he doesn't need to do it himself at a verdict day. The God in Whom I believe is equitable, So if our actual circumstances are different it is because our anterior life yields were different.
We deserve our actual life! The God in Whom I believe is clement. He can't put us in the hell forever for any reason. He just doesn't mind if we believe in him or not because he has all the control over us. Tuesday, January 5, -- PM. There should not even be an argument for this crap. There is no God, there is no Devil, no one or thing has a soul. Anyone who believes in any of these things is most certainly delusional. I cannot believe that this BS has gone on for so long, has shaped the world we live in, the laws we abide to, the wars we fight All religions are retarded.
I respect people's right to pursue happiness, and if that is religion, then so be it. But in no shape or form do I have to respect their choice. You do not even have to be smart or articulate to argue the case of the non-existence of religion. It just is not so. I strongly recommend any person with a sliver of self respect to stop believing in religion, souls, magic, energies, ghosts, or anything of the kind because they do not exist and I will not listen to anyone's argument that they do, because anyone who wants to argue that these things are real is a moron with mental problems and I would rather enjoy sushi, wine, or sex.
God can suck my phallic rod, well actually no, he can't, because he does not exist. I will sell you my soul for the price of for free, but you won't get anything, because it does not exist. Maybe I will see you in hell, but most certainly won't, because it will not exist. Ok, well I am done here. I'm going to go to the homeless guy on the corner and buy him a forty, because I know that it will make me feel good inside, and he will get drunk and forget his life sucks for a minute.
Friday, March 12, -- PM. To that guy that claims to have a 4. You may be have a certain strong suit If you believe in god however, rational thinking is not one of your strong points. Sunday, April 18, -- PM. Monday, March 15, -- PM. I love Jesus. GOD is real, if u dont believe me then u can argue that out with him on judgement day, a non-believer has to admit at some point in his life he has felt a gnawing sensation in his heart but didnt know what it was, im right u know it!
If u ask for the holy spirit u will get it, he will guide u, and no im not taking any medications, as a nurse i know that alters ur mind. I'll be praying for u. Jesus loves u. Jesus loves u!! Wake up from ur sleep all u nations! Saturday, April 3, -- PM. It is easiest to decide who is "correct" by simply picking out the arguments that are presented coherently. They mostly seem to suggest a lack of a singular God.
The Bible has every answer because it is completely contradictory. There is an advert on TV here for a religious show, and the guy on the screen says "Come join me in God's unconditional love" then I say mmm Pillar of Salt? Why are the religions fighting one another? Don't all religions preach peace? What contradictory Bible verse would be a good rebuttal?
Wednesday, April 7, -- PM. I do not 'believe' in either god or man, because since BCE man claimed himself to be god and demanded to be called Lord. Patriarchy and slavery blossomed into full feudalism. Friday, September 10, -- PM. Wow - it's amazing what you can find on the Internet. As I study for our small group session this week, on making a case for God's existence, I am wondering at the depth of emotion across the spectrum of belief presented here.
I can't force you to believe in God and I can't convince you to believe in God. Only you can make that decision. Jesus died on the cross and defeated a mortal death so that each of us could have a personal relationship with Him. All I can do is share that with you and whether you choose to accept Him or not is your decision.
Would the atheists be happy if God forced himself on us? If we were all little white-robed wearing proselytes with no free will? Who knows. Secularists want me to take responsibility for my own life, yet, when I do that and make the most important decision anyone can make, they mock. Blaise Pascal had a personal experience that revealed to him the existence of God. Then he chose to present the case for belief in a mathematical, reasoned way.
And people still mocked him. I'm not saying that Pascal's Wager is the best foundation on which to believe in God - far from it. But for those that are seeking meaning in this life, it is one of countless arguments for at least considering the truth of God's existence.
The Bible, from beginning to end, is the story of God's effort to redeem mankind. Over and over, time after time, man turned away from God to his detriment. Over and over, time after time, God gave mankind another chance. Finally, as was His plan all along, God said, "Here's what I'll do - I will make the ultimate sacrifice and blot out all the terrible things mankind has done.
All anyone has to do is believe in Me, accept that what I have done will re-establish the bond I had with mankind in the very beginning, and those who choose to receive My gift will be with Me for eternity, in peace. You didn't like that but if you were honest with yourself you admitted that you had messed up and deserved to be punished.
Hell wasn't created for us but as we continued to disobey God over the centuries, it was clear that of the two places available to spend eternity, it was the most suitable for the disobedient. But you say, "That's not fair! When you were a kid your parents told you, "If you do this then here's what will happen.
He gives us the free will to do so and the full knowledge of the consequences. I'd say that's pretty darn fair. If we had no idea - if we went through our entire lives without the Bible or church or any knowledge of God and His eternal plan - and we ended up in Hell because we had stolen a pack of gum when we were 14, then that would be unfair.
But He has revealed His plan to us; He's given us the rule book; He's told us everything we need to know in order to believe in Him and re-establish our relationship with Him. He's given us the road map to Heaven. And He has given us free will to choose how we will live our lives.
To paraphrase Rod Serling, "There's a signpost up ahead, and on it are two destinations. Sunday, September 12, -- PM. Well, Mike, if the discussion wasn't already dead, that should pretty well finish it.
What can anyone say to that iron-clad argument but "amen"? Saturday, September 25, -- PM. I belive there is a god. Friday, October 19, -- AM. I advise to those in doubt to continue to research the Christian beliefs. Consider context, history and science when addressing the scripture. Remember that you can't get a simple answer to a question that isnt simple.
You can't warp Christian belief into your own premature idea then attack that form of "Christian" belief. There is plenty of evidence to, at the very least, arouse suspicion. I too am curious if it is all true. Which has lead me to much study and its odd how different religions such as Catholicism, Hinduism, Christianity, Buddhism and Islam actually were compared to my current view of them at the time.
I am not saying you need to study every religion. I am saying if you choose to attack one then I suggest knowing it. However, I dont advise attacking a religion. I would suggest debating and duscussing it with respect. Skip to main content. Search form Search. Kenneth Taylor. See you soon. Believing in God. Related Shows William James Nov 09, Worship May 10, Worship is the feeling or expression of reverence and adoration for something.
Believing in God Oct 29, Some have argued that there aren't any good arguments for believing in God. Faith, Reason, and Science Oct 14, Does faith obscure reason? Mar 23, Has science replaced religion? Intelligent Design Jan 17, Is there any reason to think the cause or causes of order in the universe bear an even remote analogy to human intelligence? Dec 15, In most Western democracies, religions are exempt from certain rules and regulations that most other organizations have to follow.
Blog Archive October Persons, Community, and the Akan. Why Is Math So Useful? On Awesomeness. Is Facebook Morally Responsible? Microaggressions and Intention. The Slow Miracles of Thought. Literary Minds. Summer Dylan Reading. Unnecessary Necessities. The Philosophy of the Vienna Circle. Cracking Down on Disinformation. What Montaigne Knew. Is Meritocracy Possible?
A Solution. What Makes A Man? Replacing Freud. What Tech Says. The Mathematics of Democracy. When Do False Beliefs Exculpate? Gaining Knowledge without Learning. December The Year in Poetry. Finding Minds in a Material World. Should the Arts Be for All?
Whose Fault Is It Anyway? Why We Argue About Fiction. Why Games Matter. Reasons to Hate. Abortion and Humanity. Skepticism and Trust in Science. Philosophy for the Apocalypse. Who Gets to be a Citizen? Does Meritocracy Have Merit? Discriminating Streets. Abortion and Dehumanization. On Jerks and Ethicists.
A Cat's Life. The Value of Metaphor in a Pandemic. Benjamin and Modern Enchantment. The Ethics of Pet Keeping. Celebrating Our th Episode. Covid and the Veil of Ignorance. Your Racist Mental Habits. Demonizing Black Men. Listener Covidundrums.
Puzzle 3: Kant on Lying to Robots. Can Philosophy Help in a Crisis? Narrative Burnout. A Pandemic of Dreams. More Money Matters. FrancisOnFilm: Crip Camp. Money Matters. Proust and Social Distance. Puzzle 2: What is an Identity? Philosophy and the Superhero. Trying to Let Go of the Past.
Thinking and Mental Action. Puzzle 1: Are Beliefs Voluntary? Viral Xenophobia. Sorry, Critics: Parasite is a Good Movie. Anti-Sacred Spaces. Is the Self Real? FrancisOnFilm: Dionysus for Docs. Rough Humor. Comedy on the Edges. Most of what we believe comes from mental tools working below our conscious awareness. And what we believe consciously is in large part driven by these unconscious beliefs. Barrett demonstrates that beliefs in gods match up well with these automatic assumptions; beliefs in an all-knowing, all-powerful God match up even better.
Barrett goes on to explain why beliefs like religious beliefs are so widespread and why it is very difficult for our minds to think without them.
Anyone who wants a concise, clear, and scientific explanation of why anyone would believe in God should pick up Barrett's book. AltaMira Press. Series: Cognitive Science of Religion. After completing his Ph.
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